March 28, 2004
ATLANTA – Micah Owings went 4-for-4, Steven Blackwood had three hits and three RBI, and Andrew Kown allowed just two runs in eight innings of work to help Georgia Tech (15-11) to a 13-2 win over visiting Georgia Southern (14-15) Sunday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Kown (4-1) allowed just one run in each of the first and fourth innings, and allowed just three other runners past first base while pitching eight strong innings for the Jackets. He gave up six hits while striking out four Eagles batters and walking none in the game.
Owings led the Jackets with four hits on the afternoon while Steven Blackwood went 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored against the Eagles in a game in which every starter in the Georgia Tech lineup had at least one hit. Tyler Greene also drove in three runs on the afternoon and scored another.
Georgia Southern led 1-0 at the end of the first after James Payne led off the game with a hit-by-pitch, moved to third on a single by Brandon Long, and scored on an RBI groundout by Greg Dowling.
The Jackets scored a pair of runs in the second inning to pull ahead, 2-1. Owings and Blackwood hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning and both advanced a base on a wild pitch by GSU starter John Carroll. Clifton Remole then drove in Owings with an RBI groundout and Whit Robbins doubled to left-center field to plate Blackwood.
Georgia Tech scored six runs in the third inning to lead 8-1 after seven consecutive batters reached base. The inning was highlighted with RBI singles by Brandon Boggs, Blackwood and Remole, and Green drove in a pair of runners with a double to right-center field.
The Eagles cut the lead to 8-2 in the fourth when Dowling led off the inning with a single, moved to third on a single by Grant Burruss, and scored on an RBI groundout from Mike Economos.
The Jackets extended the lead to 11-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, Boggs singled, stole second base, and moved to third on a single by Owings. Blackwood drove in Boggs with a single to right field, and Owings and Blackwood later scored on a fielding error by Eagles shortstop Brandon Ponder.
Tech added two more runs in the seventh inning for the final 13-2 margin. Andy Hawranick, Wes Hodges and Boggs walked to load the bases before Owings and Greene had RBI singles.
Starter Carroll (2-4) took the loss for Georgia Southern, lasting 3.1 innings and giving up 10 runs on 12 hits while striking out two and walking one. Southpaw Josh Lairsey came on in relief for Carroll and pitched effectively, giving up just one run on two hits in 2.2 innings of work.
The Jackets will return to action when they host the 13th-ranked Auburn Tigers this Tuesday at 7 p.m. in a game that will be regionally televised on Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS). Radio coverage will also be available for the game on WREK-Radio (91.1 FM in Atlanta) and on the internet at www.wrek.org. Live statistics will be available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
